The Time Traveler's Revenge (The Secrets of Dohrten Keep) (Volume 1)

Chapter One

Chapter One

She walked in silence within the haze. The birds no longer sang in this place, as though the heavens had finally granted her silence and had given her the sights she had so anxiously wished for. The garden around her bloomed in beauty and excellence. Every sight and every smell felt like a long lost memory suddenly recalled in vivid detail. Rose bushes and tall cherry blossom trees lined the path before her, branches and vines intertwining to form a perfect catacomb of color and vibrancy. Walking along the barely lit garden path, he was there, standing before her. She could see the freckles on his face and the wrinkles that lined the small corners of his almond-shaped eyes. She remembered the scar that marred his beautiful chest and shoulder and covered some of his neck. She remembered the slight curve of his full bottom lip and the harsh lines of his bold upper lip. His stubble was noticeable from this short distance, and his oceanic blue eyes bore into her soul. As the mist started to swirl around their ankles, she knew it was time. She just wanted one more second, one more moment with him. If only...

The alarm blared like sirens coming from hell and Celeste awoke with a start. Her pulse was rapidly firing beneath her chest while making her breathing ragged and shallow. She had dreamt of him again, and when she was finally able to have him within her grasp, he disappeared deep into the mist that lined the garden. Clutching her shirt, she fell back into bed, pulled up the covers, and sighed. I only wanted five more seconds... to finally see him. That's not too much to ask. Holding her breath, she hoped to finally fall back into some type of rhythm and fall slowly back to sleep. Her shoulders slumped as she scowled. Sleep just wasn't in the cards for today. Today was another busy day in the life of Celeste Dorsheen.

Finally letting out the breath she had been holding in for the last five seconds, she pulled the covers off of her body and started to get ready for her day. Walking over to her closet, her fingers lightly brushed over the small black tags that fell beside each item in her wardrobe; each outfit had been tagged with a symbol and Braille tag that described each shirt, pant, and jacket in short detail. No one understood why she needed this method, but it allowed her to know exactly what she owned and wore and what requires repair or mending. Her associate always saw to her laundry and made sure the tags matched with each outfit perfectly. Padding into the kitchen, she turned on the coffee pot and waited for her sanity to become clearer. With her clothes in hand, she carefully put on each item and then sat for a moment while her coffee brewed, still reminiscing over the mystery man that flooded her dreams.

The door opened quietly as Angelina Talerig stepped in, carefully balancing grocery bags, a coffee cup, cell phone, keys, and purse. She stood nearly like an Amazon compared to Celeste's short frame but was a typical athletic-model height. Her short pixie hair was dyed a vibrant fiery red with blonde highlights that balanced out her pale olive complexion. Her piercing green eyes darted around the room to land on her best friend and business partner while her slightly rounded hips pushed a chair open for her to sit on.

"Good morning Angie," Celeste said as she rose to grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen.

"Hey Cel, hope you slept well," she replied, as she placed the items on the kitchen table and clicked her cell phone into vibrate mode.

"Sleep is relative. I slept, but I couldn't stop walking," she hummed.

"Did you dream it again?"

Sighing as she finished prepping her coffee, she closed her eyes and nodded. "I don't understand. I've never sculpted anyone with his features. The kicker is, this time, I saw freckles."

An apple rolled off the table and onto the floor. Angelina stood for a moment before retrieving it and responding.

"Freckles?"